This page contains some general FAQ’s and also some more specialised topics intended for use as a resource for anyone with an interest in basic stage lighting. The intention is to refresh the memories of those with some experience and provide some pointers for those without experience.
If you have a question that is not answered here, please contact us for more information.
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Special consultations and installations can be arranged outside of hours by appointment.
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We are flexible, and here to help. If you are looking for something in particular and you cannot find it on our site, give us a call on 03 9553 1688, to speak with one of our experts today!
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Place your order before 11am for same day delivery in Melbourne (VIC) Metro or next day delivery to most other locations.
If you prefer, or you are in a rush you can collect your items from our Moorabbin office.
HOW DOES THE ROBE ROBIN 800 WORK?
The enhanced ROBIN® 800 LEDWash brings Robe’s patented system for seamless, even and smooth zoom and output of RGBW multichip LED technology a step further.
Brighter LED chips and a removable beam shaper module with motorized rotation creates the perfect combination for theatre, TV and other professional applications.
The fixture has an incredibly wide zoom range starting at 8 degrees and going up to 63 degrees.
Many enhanced features include quiet zoom operation, Beam/Wash zoom mode, virtual colour wheel with calibrated whites, RGBW/CMY colour mixing and more.
The touch screen navigation display supports many controlling protocols, status data logging, software updates and other features which are standard in the Robe ROBIN series.
Three LED rings with individual colour control of each LED ring, pre-programmed random strobe & pulse effects and individual zone strobe effects, variable speedStrobe effect with variable speed (max. 20 flashes per second) and Zoom Range linear motorized zoom 8° – 63°, only some of its special features.
WHY AM I BLOWING LAMPS?
1. Your fixture is upside down (image below). See “How to Correctly Hang a Light”
2. When changing a quartz halogen lamp care must be taken not to touch the lamp with bare hands as the residue left by oils in our skin will significantly reduce the life of the lamp if not cleaned with alcohol before use. Use a tissue or plastic bag when fitting lamps.
3. Theatrical lamps, like most light globes, have fragile filaments so they can be broken by dropping either the fixture with the lamp fitted or dropping the lamp itself, even when it is still in the box, treat them like eggs.
4. When focusing fixtures, it is important not to jar the fixture with sharp movements as the lamps become more fragile when they are hot. If you are having trouble moving any of the focus parts of the fixture, turn it off and come back after it has had a chance to cool down a bit. Loosen off the parts you need to use and then try again.
5. When you wish to move lights around after a performance or a focusing session, give them a chance to cool down for a while before attempting to move them.
HOW TO CORRECTLY HANG A LIGHT
Look for the place where you put the colour filter frame into the light, this will be the top of the light.
When a light is hung upside down, the filament of the light can get compressed in the wrong direction making the lamp likely to blow quickly.
Getting the light hung the correct way will save you money.
Before the light is actually put on a bar it is important to get the hook clamp (also known as a C-clamp) fixed to the light correctly. We recommend using a spring washer with your bolt set to prevent the lamp becoming loose while focusing. Lastly tighten with a spanned so that the spring washer is compressed. This will hold the hook clamp tightly in place and ensure that once you have focused the light it will stay there.
Now that we know which way to hang the light and we have tightened the bolt set, we can put our light on to the bar. Hang the clamp over the bar so that it sits snugly, with no gap between the clamp and the bar. Tighten the tri-nut or bolt on the clamp. Attach a safety wire or chain to the light and to the bar. This is a very important piece of equipment that is often overlooked.
Safety wires are not expensive and can save money and possibly even lives.
Attach the safety wire to the body of the light, not just through the yoke. Ensure that the clip on the safety wire is closed, otherwise it becomes useless. We recommend using a safety wire that is rated (tested and marked with a recommended maximum weight) and has a lockable clip.
Now open all barndoors or shutters fully.
Running a light with the barndoors closed can cause the lens to crack.
This also makes it easier to see which lights are working and which are not when you run up the lighting rig.
2. On a Stand
Many of the above points apply, but instead of using a hook clamp, you will require a spigot. A spring washer will still come in handy and washers should still be used the same way.
A safety wire is obviously not as important on a stand, but it is still important to get the cable coming out towards the bottom of the light. On some fixtures this may require a bit of adjustment of the yolk, even taking it off and turning it around! It may take a little while, but it is well worth it to save blowing a lamp in the middle of a show.